Aaronhere
03-13-2008, 11:33 AM
I know this was posted in an earlier post, but the article sited was from the Onion, which is the BEST satirical read one can find.
This is from the Arizona Republic:
Arena commissioner keeps an eye on future
Richard Obert
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 13, 2008 12:00 AM
David Baker figured he would be the Arena Football League's commissioner for a year. Twelve years later, Baker still is looking at ways to expand a league that just started its 22nd season.
During his tenure, Baker has seen franchises go from an average worth of about $400,000 to $20 million (Citibank valued the Philadelphia Soul at $32.5 million 18 months ago); the league go from Ironman (all two-way players but the quarterback and an offensive and defensive specialist) to free substitution; seven NFL owners, three NHL owners and a rock icon (Jon Bon Jovi) bring in teams.
Now Baker is talking about possibly putting teams in London, Berlin and Mexico City or Monterrey, Mexico, by the end of this decade."I think we're built for it," Baker said. "It makes travel easier."
"Unlike 100-yard football, where it takes a 747 for each team, we travel with 26 to 27. Clear out a couple of rows of coach and we're ready to go."
Baker also likes the way ESPN is promoting the game. The league is in the second year of a five-year agreement to broadcast games on the network. Some of the telecasts are on ABC.
"I think running a sports league is a hard business," Baker said. "It's simple, but it's a lot of hard work and you have to have a lot of credibility.
"At 22 years, we've been around. I still think of us as new and emerging. We've been around three times as long as any other (pro football league in America) other than the NFL. That's significant. I think it's been a combination of dedicated players, guys like George LaFrance and Hunkie Cooper who have passed on the bill of rights, signing autographs (after games). It's a great product. The competition committee is making it better. I think through the years it's gotten better."
Baker, whose office is in New York, was at US Airways Center Monday during ESPN2's broadcast of the Rattlers' home opener against Los Angeles.
Last year, 26 games were broadcast on ESPN International.
"We'd hear from New Zealand and South America," Baker said. "A guy in Australia and one from Italy were e-mailing."
The league also is considering playing an outdoor game next season.
Baker has tried to find cutting-edge ways to give the league more exposure.
Even though Austin and Nashville folded after last season, and the Gladiators moved from Las Vegas to Cleveland, Baker said he believes there are "17 fairly strong teams," in the league now.
The league set an opening-week attendance record for eight games with an average crowd of 13,979.
The Rattlers face a rebuilding task not only on the turf but also in the marketplace.
According to a recent story in Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal, the league is looking into making it a single-entity structure with equity partners to try to make the league profitable. The publication reported that the league had an operating loss of $24 million last season.
Brett Bouchy, who took over majority ownership of the Rattlers last summer, came in and brashly guaranteed a playoff berth this season or a refund to all season-ticket holders. Season tickets increased by 50 percent, and Monday night's announced crowd was 11,532.
"I think the money-back guarantee is innovative," Baker said. "I think if you give Brett enough time, he will build it up to where it once was.
"When I was first in (as the commissioner), America West Arena (now US Airways Center) would be the place I would take people looking to buy a franchise. The place would absolutely rock."
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0313arenafb0313.html
This is from the Onion:
Struggling Arena Football League To Hold Game Outdoors
Struggling Arena Football League To Hold Game Outdoors
January 9, 2008 | | Onion Sports
NEW YORK—In an attempt to invigorate interest in what many see as a niche or novelty sport and thereby broaden their fanbase, Arena Football League Commissioner David Baker announced last Saturday that the March 17 contest between the Colorado Crush and the Dallas Desperados will be held at an outdoor facility. "Once again, the Arena League is on the cutting edge of sport with its newest innovation—football played on an outdoor field with a natural grass surface," said Baker, adding that he hopes the game being broadcast on ESPN2 will raise public awareness for the league. "This is the way arena football was meant to be played." Since they went on sale Monday, a total of three tickets have been sold for the game.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1 - Is an AFL-UFL merger or partnership on the horizon?
2 - Are there cash flow problems in the AFL requiring this need to look outdoors and to Europe?
3 - Are there any other stories out there discussing an outdoor AFL gameplan?
This is from the Arizona Republic:
Arena commissioner keeps an eye on future
Richard Obert
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 13, 2008 12:00 AM
David Baker figured he would be the Arena Football League's commissioner for a year. Twelve years later, Baker still is looking at ways to expand a league that just started its 22nd season.
During his tenure, Baker has seen franchises go from an average worth of about $400,000 to $20 million (Citibank valued the Philadelphia Soul at $32.5 million 18 months ago); the league go from Ironman (all two-way players but the quarterback and an offensive and defensive specialist) to free substitution; seven NFL owners, three NHL owners and a rock icon (Jon Bon Jovi) bring in teams.
Now Baker is talking about possibly putting teams in London, Berlin and Mexico City or Monterrey, Mexico, by the end of this decade."I think we're built for it," Baker said. "It makes travel easier."
"Unlike 100-yard football, where it takes a 747 for each team, we travel with 26 to 27. Clear out a couple of rows of coach and we're ready to go."
Baker also likes the way ESPN is promoting the game. The league is in the second year of a five-year agreement to broadcast games on the network. Some of the telecasts are on ABC.
"I think running a sports league is a hard business," Baker said. "It's simple, but it's a lot of hard work and you have to have a lot of credibility.
"At 22 years, we've been around. I still think of us as new and emerging. We've been around three times as long as any other (pro football league in America) other than the NFL. That's significant. I think it's been a combination of dedicated players, guys like George LaFrance and Hunkie Cooper who have passed on the bill of rights, signing autographs (after games). It's a great product. The competition committee is making it better. I think through the years it's gotten better."
Baker, whose office is in New York, was at US Airways Center Monday during ESPN2's broadcast of the Rattlers' home opener against Los Angeles.
Last year, 26 games were broadcast on ESPN International.
"We'd hear from New Zealand and South America," Baker said. "A guy in Australia and one from Italy were e-mailing."
The league also is considering playing an outdoor game next season.
Baker has tried to find cutting-edge ways to give the league more exposure.
Even though Austin and Nashville folded after last season, and the Gladiators moved from Las Vegas to Cleveland, Baker said he believes there are "17 fairly strong teams," in the league now.
The league set an opening-week attendance record for eight games with an average crowd of 13,979.
The Rattlers face a rebuilding task not only on the turf but also in the marketplace.
According to a recent story in Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal, the league is looking into making it a single-entity structure with equity partners to try to make the league profitable. The publication reported that the league had an operating loss of $24 million last season.
Brett Bouchy, who took over majority ownership of the Rattlers last summer, came in and brashly guaranteed a playoff berth this season or a refund to all season-ticket holders. Season tickets increased by 50 percent, and Monday night's announced crowd was 11,532.
"I think the money-back guarantee is innovative," Baker said. "I think if you give Brett enough time, he will build it up to where it once was.
"When I was first in (as the commissioner), America West Arena (now US Airways Center) would be the place I would take people looking to buy a franchise. The place would absolutely rock."
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0313arenafb0313.html
This is from the Onion:
Struggling Arena Football League To Hold Game Outdoors
Struggling Arena Football League To Hold Game Outdoors
January 9, 2008 | | Onion Sports
NEW YORK—In an attempt to invigorate interest in what many see as a niche or novelty sport and thereby broaden their fanbase, Arena Football League Commissioner David Baker announced last Saturday that the March 17 contest between the Colorado Crush and the Dallas Desperados will be held at an outdoor facility. "Once again, the Arena League is on the cutting edge of sport with its newest innovation—football played on an outdoor field with a natural grass surface," said Baker, adding that he hopes the game being broadcast on ESPN2 will raise public awareness for the league. "This is the way arena football was meant to be played." Since they went on sale Monday, a total of three tickets have been sold for the game.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1 - Is an AFL-UFL merger or partnership on the horizon?
2 - Are there cash flow problems in the AFL requiring this need to look outdoors and to Europe?
3 - Are there any other stories out there discussing an outdoor AFL gameplan?